St. Michael Catholic Cemetery in Sioux Falls, S. Dakota, Expanding its Cremation Garden With Help From Salem Stones

Dan Johnson, director of St. Michael Catholic Cemetery in Sioux Falls, S. Dakota, has plans for his cremation garden courtesy of a free 48 Niche Columbarium from Salem Stones.

The columbarium is part of Salem Stones Columbarium Giveaway to help one cemetery adapt to the growing cremation garden trend.

“The cremation rate was almost 49 percent nationwide just a couple years ago. This is no secret to the industry,” said Lenin Kailasammani, owner of Salem Stones. “We know cemeteries and the families they serve are looking for options. This columbarium program is a way for us to open the door to conversations to discuss ways we can provide direction and guidance on the expansion or development of a cremation garden.”

Each person who entered Salem Stones Columbarium Giveaway is receiving a free cremation garden consultation and a customized conceptual garden sketch from its partnering team of landscape architects and designers. The value of the columbarium is $5,750.

Johnson has plans for St Michael Catholic Cemetery. The columbarium will be used to expand upon its current above ground cremation garden.

“I was ecstatic when I was notified. We’re very blessed to win this,” said Johnson. “This fits into our long-term vision of having a garden with Our Lady of Fatima as the focal point surrounded by four columbaria and stations of the cross.”

Johnson explained that since cremation is growing, the cemetery must be ready and prepared to handle the families choosing this option, and make it a place of prayer, meditation, and gathering.

“People want to be buried in a beautiful cemetery. I want people to come here and memorialize and remember the good times, have that family spend time with their loved ones.

Salem Stones is a trusted partner of granite memorials to the cemetery industry. Its focus is on helping cemetery owners and operators deliver reliable, customized memorials of exceptional quality so they can exceed the expectations of the families they serve. Salem Stones has a wide variety of inventory including monuments, mausoleums and columbaria in its two warehouses located in Columbus, Ohio, and Elberton, Georgia.

Contact Salem Stones about how we can help you with your cremation garden.